ACES ON BRIDGE

At matchpoint pairs, it is often hard to determine whether you are in a normal contract or an unusual one. In a standard contract, it is normal pairs tactics to consider playing for the maximum number of tricks. If you go down, you can at least console yourself that you were following a sensible strategy.

By contrast, in rubber bridge or teams, you want to follow the safest line for your contract, and as a defender, you look for the guaranteed way to defeat a contract. That means the number of overtricks or undertricks is less important than beating or making the contract.

Today’s deal is a classic example. After North produced a jump raise of spades — which, according to his partnership agreement, was pre-emptive — South found himself in game. West had no reason not to lead the club queen, so South won the first trick and had to formulate a plan.

The obvious thing to do is to ruff clubs in dummy. Declarer trumped a club, led a diamond to the ace and ruffed another club low. Then came the question of how to get back to hand: Declarer chose the safest line of leading a heart to the ace, then he ruffed the fourth club high. East could choose whether to discard or overruff, but declarer was sure to score four more trump tricks and make his contract.

Had declarer finessed in hearts, West would have won with his king and sunk the contract by shifting to trump, to kill the third club ruff. ANSWER: While it might be right to cash club winners before they go away, a trump lead is surely the favorite here, since declarer will be planning to ruff spades in dummy. If dummy goes down with three or four small diamonds, the low trump will likely work better than the queen. This is a close call, since West seems to be much stronger than East. I’d go with the low trump.